


Sidelines

by Karasuno Volleygays (ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor)



Series: Sportsfest 2018 [32]
Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M, Tezuka is eternally sexually repressed, and Fuji enjoys that knowledge far too much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 17:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15954341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor/pseuds/Karasuno%20Volleygays
Summary: Tezuka hates Fuji's boyfriend. Perhaps because he's a flashy imbecile who won't stop polluting the office with his grandiose displays of affection. Perhaps because that boyfriend isn't him. Tezuka isn't sure which one.And he hates that Fuji knows exactly which one it is.





	Sidelines

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Sportsfest bonus round 2.

Every time he sees Fuji with _him_ , Tezuka experiences an irrational urge to turn back the way he came. It's a ridiculous impulse but one he can't help but bite back when he sees the two of them together.

It has to stop, he knows that. They work in the same office on the same floor in the same group, and they see one another every day. Glaring down his coworker’s obnoxious boyfriend, an accountant named Mizuki, is beyond inappropriate, and Tezuka dislikes the feeling entirely.

Friday is one of the days that challenges his restraint the most. Mizuki would come in and execute some grandiose gesture of affection in front of everyone. He thinks Fuji, a private person for as long as Tezuka has known him, is uncomfortable with it, too, but he gives Mizuki a smile that never reaches his eyes and accepts whatever absurd thing Mizuki has in tow.

This Friday, it's a four-foot teddy bear holding a tennis racket, and Tezuka’s pencil snaps in his hand.

All weekend long, Tezuka spends an inordinate amount of time at his athletic club, sweating out his irritation with tennis matches against anyone foolish enough to agree to face him.

On Monday, Tezuka grits his teeth painfully when he sees the telltale sprinkling of love bites littered down the column of Fuji’s neck. If he didn't think Mizuki was devoid of decency before, he has certainly banished that notion now.

Every time Tezuka turns around, those marks loom on Fuji’s pale skin, and Tezuka finds himself unjamming his stapler or reentering some piece of data into his computer because his angry fingers smash too many keys and ruin his input.

When the day finally deigns to end, Tezuka jams his arms into his jacket and stalks toward the exit before he embarrasses himself by snapping at an innocent bystander. He nearly drops his laptop case when Fuji steps in front of the elevator door to impede his exit.

“Tezuka,” Fuji hails with a wide smile. “Would you care to join me for dinner? We haven't caught up in ages.”

 _No_ , his side preservation snaps. _No, no, no._ “That would be fine,” his moronic mouth spouts.

Fuji nods and steps into the elevator, and Tezuka follows. He strangles the handle of his briefcase while Fuji hums on the way down, idly bouncing on the balls of his feet and his marked up neck almost impossible to ignore.

When Fuji suggests a place Tezuka doesn't particularly care for, he quickly agrees and ends up at a restaurant with food that is far too spicy for his comfort, and he can swear he sees Fuji smirk when he starts to sweat.

The stalemate finally breaks when Fuji says, “How are you doing with your new client?”

Behind, of course, due to his complete lack of focus on anything else besides the evidence of how Fuji spent his weekend. “Fine.”

“So, you're taking your laptop home because you think it will run away if you leave it behind?”

Tezuka chokes on his drink of water, wheezing into his glass until he can catch a full breath. “Definitely not. I prefer being ahead. You never know when the site president decides we all need to attend some useless team building seminar instead of doing actual work.”

“Of course.” Fuji gives him a cryptic glance and sips his sake. “Sensible to the last.”

The meal drags on in turgid silence, with a bulk of Tezuka’s efforts wrapped up in avoiding looking at the marks on Fuji’s neck and trying to keep his eyes from watering from the excess spice in his shoyu ramen. Finally, it drags to an end, with the cap on their dinner being Fuji leisurely making his way through a bowl of ice cream.

As they're leaving the restaurant for the train station, Fuji says, “I think it's fascinating how you act when Hajime comes to see me at work.”

Tezuka stops mid-stride, his jaw clenching at his humiliating lapse into transparency. “Try not to enjoy making me uncomfortable as much as you do.”

Fuji gives him a smile that reeks of danger, and Tezuka likes the situation even less now. “I didn’t say I liked it. I said it fascinated me. There is a difference.”

“Not for you, there isn't.”

Tezuka wheels around and resumes the trek to the train stop, but Fuji is hot on his heels. “Would there be any particular reason he annoys you, or do you just hate him a little bit more than the rest of us?”

“He's a buffoon.” Tezuka stops and glares at Fuji. “He's brazen, he completely lacks decency —” He jabs a finger at Fuji's array of love bites. “— and he has no regard for how other people see you.” Hand dropping limply at his side, Tezuka wrangles his short temper and meters his tone. “Either he is an imbecile or he doesn't respect you. Either way, you can do better.”

“You mean someone like you?”

Fuji raises a brow, and Tezuka’s control over his temper strains against the bait being tossed in front of him. “That's ridiculous. It's been years since we were in high school. Anything between us is long gone.”

A hand clasps around Tezuka’s wrist. “That might be true for one of us.”

Wrenching his arm away, Tezuka snarls, “Then why are you dating him?”

“Because he tried to make me happy.” Fuji links his elbow with Tezuka’s and urges them once again toward the train stop. “You're not like other people, Tezuka. You're a genius at tennis and academia, but when it comes to reading other people, you are absolutely hopeless.”

Scowling, Tezuka grumbles, “I am n —”

“Yes, you are.” Fuji squeezes Tezuka’s arm and gives him a doleful smile. “You know, if you wanted to give it another try, you could just ask. You don’t have to stare daggers at people I date just because you wish it were you. You can do better than that, too.”

They arrive at the train stop, and Tezuka drops onto a bench and crosses his arms with a huff. “It’s hardly appropriate to make an advance on you while you’re seeing someone else. And I would also appreciate it if you didn’t mock me.”

Fuji sits next to him and chuckles. “I wouldn’t dare.” He leans into Tezuka’s side and sighs. “I broke up with him this weekend.” Tezuka inhales sharply, and Fuji pats his thigh. “It was time.”

“What? Why?” Fuji meets Tezuka’s gaze, and in unison they say, “The teddy bear.”

“Yes, I probably should have told you.”

Fuji’s words echo in Tezuka’s brain. Over a month of being haunted by the itch of jealousy, and just like that, it’s over. A laugh rumbles in his chest, and when Fuji looks over at him in surprise, he throws his head back and lets the absurdity take hold.

“I haven’t seen you smile in years.” Fuji stands when his train starts rattling to a halt on the tracks in front of him. “So, Tezuka Kunimitsu, would you care to have dinner with me on Friday? A real one this time. One where you stop fantasizing about strangling my ex and start using your imagination on fun things.”

Tezuka raises a brow and harrumphs. “No promises on that front, but I think I can agree to dinner.”

Fuji leans over and feathers a kiss onto Tezuka’s forehead. “It’s a start.” He backs away and gives Tezuka a little wave. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

As Fuji’s train carries him away, Tezuka watches it until it’s well out of sight. It isn’t what he expected from his day, but like everything associated with Fuji Shuusuke, nothing ever quite goes as planned. For the first time in his life for as long as he can remember, however, Tezuka thinks he might be ready for that brand of madness.

He’s probably wrong, but it’s a chance he’s looking forward to taking.


End file.
